In the past, the group had been considered a subfamily of Heliothelinae based on a sclerotized thorn that is invaginated into the corpus bursae of the female genitalia. This morphological feature common to both Hoploscopinae and Heliothelinae was considered an apomorphy of Heliothelinae sensu lato.[2] However, a phylogenetic analysis of Crambidae moths found that Hoploscopinae and Heliothelinae do not form a monophyletic group, and consequently split the two lineages into separate subfamilies.[3]
^Robinson, Gaden S.; Tuck, Kevin R.; Shaffer, Michael (1994). A field guide to the smaller moths of South-East Asia. Natural History Museum, London, UK.
^Nuss, Matthias (1998). "The Scopariinae and Heliothelinae stat. rev. (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae) of the Oriental Region – a revisional synopsis with descriptions of new species from the Philippines and Sumatra". Nachrichten entomologische Verein Apollo. 17 (Suppl): 475–528.